Pages

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Netanyahu: Advance international effort to change laws of war, 'No one will damage our ability and right to protect our children'

PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday instructed various officials in the government ministries to examine the possibility of advancing an international initiative to change the laws of war due to the spread of global terror.He said the laws of war should be contingent on the type of warfare.

"Our struggle is to delegitimize the continuing attempt to delegitimize the State of Israel. The most important arena to operate in is that of public opinion, which is the deciding factor in the democratic world," said Netanyahu during a cabinet meeting.

"We must continue to put holes in this lie (that Israel committed war crimes in its December-January war with Hamas), which is being spread with the help of the Goldstone Report."

"Weapons are being stockpiled all around us with the aim of targeting Israeli civilians. I want to make it clear that no one will damage our ability and right to protect our children, civilians and communities".

Defense Minister Ehud Barak told the cabinet meeting that he would join intelligence recommendations to promote an international initiative to change the laws of war.

"I met with the heads of state fighting in Afghanistan, and this initiative is also supported by them. It is in the interest of everyone fighting terrorism to change the laws of war. We must back up the IDF and grant it freedom to act," said Barak.